Biomedical subjects

Elizabeth J Carey

Publications and source records attributed to Elizabeth J Carey.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A single-center experience of 260 consecutive patients undergoing capsule endoscopy for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: Capsule endoscopy (CE) has revolutionized the evaluation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) but published literature is limited to small series with heterogeneous indications. The aim of this study was to determine the findings and the diagnostic yield of CE in a large series of patients with overt and occult OGIB. METHODS: Data on 260 patients who underwent CE for overt (N = 126) or occult (N = 134) OGIB were obtained by retrospective chart review and review of an internal database of CE patients and findings. RESULTS: Visualization of the entire small bowel was achieved in 74%. The majority of exams (66%) were rated as having a good or excellent prep. Clinically significant positive findings occurred in 53%. The yield of CE in the obscure-overt group was greater than in the obscure-occult group (60%vs 46%, P= 0.03). Small bowel angioectasias were the most common finding, comprising over 60% of clinically significant lesions. The mean follow-up was 9.6 months, and there were significant reductions in hospitalizations, additional tests/procedures, and units of blood transfused after CE. Both before and after CE, patients in the overt group had more significant GI bleeding than patients in the occult group. Complications occurred in five (1.9%) cases: nonnatural excretion (four) and CE impaction at cricopharyngeus (one). CONCLUSIONS: The yield of clinically important findings on CE in patients with OGIB is 53% and is greater in patients with obscure-overt than obscure-occult GI bleeding. Angioectasias account for the majority of significant lesions in both groups. Compared with pre-CE, patients had clinical improvement post-CE in medical interventions for OGIB. Complications of CE occur in less than 2% of cases.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Effects of orthotopic liver transplantation on the corrected QT interval in patients with end-stage liver disease.

Autonomic dysfunction is a recognized complication of end-stage liver disease (ESLD) associated with a poor prognosis. The corrected QT interval (QTc) on electrocardiogram is a marker of autonomic function. A few small studies have suggested that QTc may normalize with the return of liver function after orthotopic liver transplantation. We sought to determine how transplantation affects the QTc in patients with ESLD. The QTc from the pretransplantation evaluation of 46 patients with ESLD was compared with the QTc at 4-month posttransplantation follow-up. Other factors that can influence autonomic function also were evaluated. Most patients with ESLD (54%) showed a prolonged QTc (> or = 440 msec) at the pretransplantation evaluation (451 +/- 45 msec) that improved to within the normal range at posttransplantation follow-up (418 +/- 18 msec; P < 0.001). There was no relationship between QTc prolongation and Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, diabetes mellitus, age, or etiology of liver disease. Most patients with ESLD and a prolonged QTc will have a significant improvement in QTc after transplantation; however, 6.5% of patients in our study had a worsening of QTc after transplantation.

Autonomic Nervous System↗

PubMed2005

Investigation of the small bowel in gastrointestinal bleeding--enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy.

The last frontier in luminal endoscopy has been conquered. Bleeding lesions in the small intestine can present a frustrating clinical problem, but recent advances have made investigating the small bowel easier and less invasive. Capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy are two new technologies that promise to lower the barrier to evaluation of the entire small intestine. Recent studies show that capsule endoscopy improves outcomes in patients who have OGIB. Although outcome studies regarding double balloon enteroscopy have not been performed, the opportunity to treat lesions throughout the small bowel without resorting to surgery is a tremendous advance. These improvements suggest that the corner may have been turned in the diagnosis and management of small bowel bleeding. Perhaps to the next generation of gastroenterologists, small bowel bleeding will not be obscure.

Capsules↗

PubMed2005

Safety of wireless capsule endoscopy in patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators.

OBJECTIVES: Wireless video capsule endoscopy (CE) is a new technology that allows visualization of the entire small intestinal mucosa. It is indicated for the evaluation of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) and other disorders of the small intestine. Studies to date suggest that CE is safe and associated with few adverse events. A concern, which has not been studied, is the potential effect of CE on implanted cardiac devices such as implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD) and other electromedical devices. We previously found CE to be safe in patients with cardiac pacemakers. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of CE in patients with ICDs who were being evaluated for OGIB. In addition, a secondary aim of the study was to determine whether ICDs had any effect on the images captured by CE. METHODS: Patients referred for the evaluation of OGIB and who also had an ICD were enrolled into the study after informed consent. Five consecutive patients (four females and one male; mean age: 72 yr; range: 60-81 yr) with ICDs were studied. All patients had transvenous endocardial ICDs located in the chest. Prior to CE, patients had a baseline electrocardiogram (ECG) and ICD interrogation. Thereafter, CE was performed in a hospital setting with telemetry monitoring performed simultaneously. A post-procedure ICD interrogation was carried out to evaluate changes in programmed parameters. A cardiologist and ICD nurse specialist together reviewed both the telemetry monitor and the post-procedure ICD interrogation on each patient. When CE studies were reviewed, observations pertaining to technical difficulties and interference with video imaging were documented. RESULTS: No arrhythmia or other adverse cardiac events were noted during capsule transmission. No interference by the ICD on the CE video images was seen. CONCLUSIONS: CE was performed safely in these five patients with ICDs, and was not associated with any adverse cardiac events. ICDs also do not appear to interfere with video capsule imaging.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Hepatopulmonary syndrome after living donor liver transplantation and deceased donor liver transplantation: a single-center experience.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a progressive, debilitating complication of end-stage liver disease. In contrast to the well-established reversal of HPS after deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT), little has been written about the natural course of HPS after the newer procedure of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We describe HPS in a small series of 4 liver transplant recipients (2 DDLT; 2 LDLT) at a single center. Before transplantation, these 4 patients had a mean shunt fraction of 23.6 +/- 14.3% and a mean PaO2 of 58.5 +/- 11.3 mm Hg. All 4 patients used supplemental oxygen before transplantation. Sixteen weeks after transplantation, all 4 patients had normalized or improved shunt fraction and PaO2. These patients regained normal pulmonary function within a few months, despite the period of hepatic regeneration after LDLT. In conclusion, both DDLT and LDLT are associated with rapid and dramatic reversal of HPS.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Unsedated endoscopy.

Unsedated endoscopy will likely play an increasingly important role in the daily practice of GI endoscopy. Although there is adequate evidence that un-sedated endoscopy is technically feasible in selected patient populations, there area number of obstacles preventing its widespread adoption. Small-caliber endoscopy is not as accurate as conventional EGD. This may be remedied as improvements in endoscope technology emerge. Many patients refuse to consider an unsedated examination, and those who do participate report more symptoms of discomfort than patients undergoing conventional endoscopy. Whether patients will accept mild discomfort in exchange for substantial cost savings has not been evaluated. Finally, although unsedated endoscopy seems to have a low complication rate, its safety has not been formally addressed in large studies. Large, randomized, controlled studies are needed to better determine the role of un-sedated small-caliber endoscopy in daily practice. Unsedated colonoscopy may follow the footsteps of unsedated upper endoscopy with even more obstacles to overcome before its widespread application.

Colonoscopy↗

PubMed2004

Endoscopic capsule endoscope delivery for patients with dysphagia, anatomical abnormalities, or gastroparesis.

BACKGROUND: Capsule endoscopy relies on an intact swallowing mechanism and unimpeded passage of the capsule through the pylorus. A technique is described for endoscopic delivery of the capsule in patients with dysphagia, anatomical abnormality, or gastroparesis. METHODS: EGD is performed with concomitant placement of an overtube. A foreign body net retrieval device is passed through the endoscope and used to grasp the activated capsule in the net. The endoscope then is advanced through the overtube, and the capsule is released in the duodenum. OBSERVATIONS: Five patients underwent endoscopic placement of the capsule. Relative contraindications to peroral ingestion were the following: oropharyngeal dysphagia, pyloric stenosis (2), prior gastric surgery, and gastroparesis. Endoscopic delivery was successful in all cases and yielded positive findings in 4. There was no complication. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic delivery of the capsule endoscope for patients with dysphagia, anatomical abnormality, or gastroparesis is safe and effective.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Osteopenia and osteoporosis in patients with end-stage liver disease caused by hepatitis C and alcoholic liver disease: not just a cholestatic problem.

Although best characterized in chronic cholestatic liver disease, osteopenic bone disease and fracturing are well-recognized complications of cirrhosis, particularly after liver transplantation. We sought to compare the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis, to assess the effect of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) on bone density, and to determine fracture rates before and after OLT in three groups of patients with advanced cirrhosis: patients with cirrhosis from hepatitis C virus (HCV) alone, from alcohol abuse (ALD), and from HCV in conjunction with alcohol abuse (HCV+ALD). Between 1991 and 2001, 207 consecutive patients who underwent OLT for HCV (68 patients), ALD (66), and HCV+ALD (73) were assessed clinically, biochemically, radiologically, and by bone densitometry. The baseline mean T score was lower in the HCV group than in the ALD group (-1.43 versus -0.87, P =.048) despite ALD patients having more advanced liver disease; patients with HCV+ALD had intermediate T scores. The pattern of significant bone loss at 4 months and 12 months was similar for all three groups. The baseline fracture rate was lowest in the HCV group and highest in the ALD group, despite the latter having the highest bone density. Fractures occurred in 17% of patients in the first year after transplantation, the majority being vertebral compression fractures. Patients with cirrhosis caused by HCV, ALD, or a combination of both should be screened for osteopenia, especially before OLT.

Adult↗